2/15: Bloomberg Approval Rating Steady

Half of registered voters in New York City — 50% — approve of the job Mayor Bloomberg is doing in office. Included here are 13% who believe Mayor Mike is doing an excellent job and 37% who say he is doing a good one. 32% give Bloomberg fair grades while 16% rate his performance as poor. Two percent are unsure.

There has been no change in Bloomberg’s approval rating since December when 50% applauded the mayor’s performance and bestowed upon him his highest approval rating since 2010. 33% reported Bloomberg was doing an average job while 16% said he fell short. One percent was unsure. Prior to Hurricane Sandy, Bloomberg’s approval rating stood at 45% in mid-October.

When asked how they will remember Mayor Bloomberg after he leaves office, 44% say his legacy will be a positive one. This includes 11% who say he will be one of the city’s best mayors and 33% who report he will be thought of as an above average mayor. 37% think he will be considered about average while 12% report he will be remembered as a below average mayor. Eight percent believe Mayor Bloomberg will be thought of as one of the worst mayors in New York City’s history.

Voters’ attitudes have changed little on this question over the past few months. In December, 43% believed the mayor would be remembered fondly while 38% thought his legacy would be an adequate one. 11% reported the mayor would be recalled as a subpar leader while 8% went a step farther and said he would be thought of as one of New York City’s worst mayors.

A majority of registered voters — 55% — believe New York City is moving in the right direction. 36%, though, say it is traveling in the wrong one. Eight percent are unsure. When NY1-Marist reported this question in December, following Hurricane Sandy, 61% were optimistic about the trajectory of the Big Apple. 31% thought its course needed to be corrected, and 7% were unsure. Before the storm in mid-October, 51% thought New York City was moving on the proper path.

When it comes to the next mayor’s agenda, 26% of registered voters think education should be his or her main priority. The same proportion — 26% — says jobs should top the list. 17% want economic development to be the next mayor’s focus while housing follows with 7%. Six percent think the priority should be crime while taxes and poverty each receives 5%. Four percent believe security from terrorism should be the next mayor’s primary issue while 2% of voters say transportation must be at the top of his or her agenda. One percent place race relations at the top of the list while an additional 1% thinks another issue is the most important.

When Marist last reported this question in September of 2009, jobs — 25% — and education — 20% — were also top of mind for voters. 17% of registered voters, at that time, believed that economic development should be the mayor’s top priority. Housing was considered to be the most important by 9%. Security from terrorism placed highest for 6% while taxes was the key issue for another 6% of voters. 17%, then, said another issue should be the mayor’s main concern.

Just 30% of registered voters are following the mayor’s race. This includes 6% who are following it very closely and 24% who are watching it closely. 44% are not monitoring the contest very closely, and 26% are not following it at all.